Stop motion



J. A. FENTON Nov. 1, 1932.

STOP MOTION Filed June 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet J a. iE-nion;

Nov. 1, 1932. J A, T 'N 1,885,423

STOP MOTION Filed June 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 '1]: a7. Fenian.

Patented Nov. 1, 1932 PATENT? OFFICE.

JOHN A. FEN'IYON, OF NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS STOP MOTION Application filed. June 15,

This invention relates to the thread feeding mechanism of cotton spinning machinery and has for its object the provision of simple and effective means whereby, when a thread LE breaks in its passage to the spinning elements, the travel of the thread will be arrested and the operation of the machine will stop. lhe invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a stop motion device embodying the inven 151 tion, and

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a base 1 which may be supported in any convenient or approved manner immediately adjacent the spinning machine, and upon this base are two standards or posts 2 which are of suitable form and size to support the thread feeding rollers 3 which are arranged int 1e upper portion of the device and are illustrated as consisting of three pairs of rollers, the thread 4ipassing to and between the rollers to be frictionally engaged thereby and fed to the spinning elements. The standards 2 are provided below their upperends with vertical slots 5 which receive the trunnions 6 of rollers 7 which are normally idle or inactive. A pair of the rollers 7 is provided, the lower roller having its trunnions resting in the lower ends of the slots 5, and the upper of said rollers normally resting upon the lower rollers, with its trunnions below the upper ends of the slots. Suitably mounted in the upper portions of the standards and located immediately adjacent the upper edges thereof are driving rollers 8, the shafts of which extend to one side of the standards, as indicated at 9, and may be driven from the same motor which operates the spinning machine. These driving rollers 8 are in direct frictional contact with the lower rollers 3 and may be geared thereto if so desired so that the lower feeding rollers will be positively driven. Upon reference to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the lower feed- 1931. Serial No. 544,532.

ing rollers are somewhat reduced in diameter between their ends, and such intermediate portion of each roller is constructed with longitudinal grooves, indicated at 10, whereby a positive engagement with the thread 4 will 65 be effected. The upper rollers are reduced at their ends, and their intermediate portions are enlarged, as shown at 11, and are preferably covered with leather or some other friction-creating material which will bear upon the thread 1 and hold it to the lower feeding rollers, whereby the thread will be positively gripped and fed to the spinning machine. The trunnions of the feeding rollers 3 are mounted in vertical slots 12 formed in the sides of bearing plates or carriers 13 which are pivotally attached, as at 14, to lugs 15 rising from the rear ends of the standards 2, this arrangement permitting the feeding rollers to move vertically at times. A cap 16 is provided abovethe feeding rollers and is constructed with depending feet or arches 17 which enter the upper ends of the slots 12 and rest upon the trunnions of the upper feeding rollers whereby said rollers will be held to the lower feeding rollers and all the feeding rollers will be normally held in the normal lowered position.

The driving rollers 8 are reduced in diam eter between their ends, as shown in Fig. 2, or, otherwise expressed, the driving rollers are arranged in pairs, with the members of each pair having a common axle or shaft. A saddle 18 is disposed over the intermediate portions of the drivin rollers and rests upon the axles or driving shafts thereof immediately under the lower feeding rollers, as will be understood upon reference to the drawings. The lower side of the saddle is notched, as indicated at 19, whereby it will be held against movement over the respective driving shafts and, between its ends, is provided with a downwardly extending tongue 20, the extremity of which is turned rearwardly so that it may rest directly upon the upper roller 7. It i will be seen at once that if, for any reason, the upper roller 7 should be caused to move vertically, the saddle 20 will be lifted from the driving shafts 9 and will immediately engage under the lower feeding rollers and lift the same out of engagement with the driving rollers, whereupon the feeding of the thread will cease. The thread is carried in the usual manner through a guide 21 on the supporting base of the device and passes over the rest 22 which is located between said guide 21 and the feeding rollers. The rest 22 is in the form of a small block pivoted, as at 23, to the front arm of a rocking angle lever 2a and has its outer edge provided with a notch 25 through which the thread passes, as shown, it being understood that the walls of said; notch are smooth and that the block is formed of any durable hard material so that the passage of the thread over the guide block will not be impeded. The angle lever 2e is mounted upon a fulcrum block 26 secured upon the base 1 and having a recess 27 to accommodate the angle of the lever, a shoulder or abutment 28 being provided at the front side of said recess against which the lever will impinge and by which the forward rocking movement of the same will be limited, although the rearward rocking movement of the lever will be permitted. It may also be noted that the front arm of said lever is provided with a short lip or extension 29 at its upper end against which the guide block 22 may impinge, so that said block may swing rearwardly but will be prevented from swinging forwardly. Pivoted to the upper end of'the rear arm of the angle lever is a tapered spreader 30 which extends rearwardly from the rocking lever or trip and has its rear end disposed in the bight of the rollers 7 There is also mounted upon the rear arm of the angle lever or trip a threaded rod 31 which extends forwardly and has a nut, 32 mounted thereon. This nut acts as a weight so that the lever will be caused to rock rearwardly whenever it is relieved of the tension exerted thereon by the passing-thread, and by properly adjusting the nut, the force exerted by it upon the lever may be nicely regulated.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the operation and advantages of the device will be readily understood and appreciated. Normally, the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 1, and it will be seen at once that the tendency of the thread to follow a straight line under tension will cause it to exert sufiicient pressure upon the rocking angle lever or trip to hold it in the position illustrated. The wedge or spreader 30 is immediately adjacent the point of contact between the rollers 7, and the feeding rollers are in their lowered position but out of contact with the saddle 18. If the thread should break, the stress of the same upon the trip lever will at once be withdrawn and the weight of the nut 32 and of the spreader will cause the lever to rock rearwarclly, whereupon the spreader will pass between the rollers 7 and will raise the upper roller, which will transmit the upward movement direct- 1y to the saddle and, through the saddle, to the lower feeding rollers, so that the feeding rollers will be raised from operative engagement with the driving rollers and will come to rest. The upward movement of the feeding rollers will be readily accommodated by the pivoted connection of the carriers or side plates 13 with the standards, and this pivotal mounting facilitates access to the driving rolls and the saddle for inspection or repairs. hen the break in the thread has been repaired, or a new thread has been placed in position to be fed to the spinning elements, the parts will resume the position shown in Fig. 1 and the operation may proceed as before.

In order that the rocker may be held in its forward position while full bobbins are being removed and empty bobbins installed, I provide a rock shaft 33 which is mounted in suitable bearings on the base adjacent and at the rear of the rocker. On this shaft is secured a finger 3a which is normally out of contact with the rocker, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1, and will permit free movement of the rocker. By rocking the shaft 33, however, the finger may be turned to bear against the rocker, as indicated by the dotted lines, and will then hold the rocker against movement. The

shaft 33 extends beyond one side of the base and is equipped with a handle 35 and a ratchet 36, a. pawl 37 on the base engaging the ratchet to hold the finger against the rocker.

When the rocker is to be released, the pawl T is disengaged from the ratchet, whereupon the shaft may be rocked to turn the finger rom the rocker.

My improved stop motion device is exceedingly simple and compact and may be produced and installed upon any spinning machine at a very low cost. As it is free from complicated arrangements, it is not apt to get out of order and will operate with certain ty and efficiency at all times. The device eliminates laps and, therefore, minimizes waste and damage to the leather rolls. As the cotton ring spinning frames in common use require the spinner to spend the greater portion of his time in taking laps off the leather rolls, the use of my invention will increase the productivity of the spinner.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a stop-motion device, the combination of upper and lower feeding rollers, driving rollers arranged below t 1e feeding rollers and in operative relation thereto, a saddle supported by the driving rollers and disposed below the feeding rollers, a lifting roller below and bearing against the saddle, and means whereby the lifting roller will be raised to move the saddle from the driving rollers when a thread engaged by the feeding rollers breaks.

2. In a stop-motion device, the combination of upper and lower feeding rollers arranged to engage and feed a thread, driving rollers arranged below and in operative relation to the feeding rollers, a saddle constructed to rest upon the driving rollers immediately below the feeding rollers and having an extension depending below the driving rollers, a lifting roller upon which said extension rests, and means whereby said roller will be raised if a thread passing through the feeding rollers should break.

3. In a stop-motion device, the combination of a pair of standards, side plates pivoted upon the standards at the upper ends thereof and resting upon the upper ends of the standards, upper and lower feeding rollers mounted in the side plates, driving rollers mounted in and upper ends of the standards and operatively engaged with the feeding rollers, a saddle resting upon the driving rollers immediately below the feeding rollers and having a downwardly projecting extension, a lifting roller loosely mounted in the standards below the saddle and bearing against the extension of the same whereby to sustain the saddle, and means whereby said lifting roller will be raised when a thread passing to the feeding rollers breaks.

4. In a stop-motion device, the combination of a support, upper and lower feeding rollers mounted in the upper portion of the support, driving rollers mounted in the sup port and operatlvely engaged with the lower feeding rollers, a roller loosely mounted in the support for vertical movement, means whereby the upward movement of said roller will be transmitted to the feeding rollers, a trip device fulcrumed upon the support and constructed to guide a thread passing between the feeding rollers, means whereby said trip will be constrained to rock rearwardly if the thread breaks, and means whereby upon rearward rocking of the trip the loosely mounted roller will be moved vertically.

5. In a stop-motion device, the combination of a support, upper and lower feeding rollers mounted in the support, driving rollers mounted in the support below and operatively engaged with the feeding rollers, a saddle supported by the driving rollers and movable vertically with respect thereto, a pair of loosely mounted rollers arranged in the support below the saddle and bearing against the same, a tapered spreader having its rear end engaged in the bight of said rollers, a rocking angle lever to which said spreader is attached and which is provided with a guide for a thread passing between the feeding rollers, and means whereby said lever will be rocked rearwardly if the thread should break to cause the spreader to enter between the loosely mounted rollers in the su port and lift the saddle and the feeding ro lers.

6. In a stop-motion device, the combination of a support, upper and lower feeding rollers mounted in the support, driving rollers mounted in the support below and operatively engaged with the feeding rollers, a saddle supported by the driving rollers, a pair of loosely mounted rollers arranged in the support below the saddle, the upper of said rollers being free to move vertically and bearing against the saddle, a rocking angle lever fulcrumed upon the support, a guide on the front end of said lever through which a thread engaged by the feed rollers passes, a spreader attached to the rear end of said lever and disposed within the bight of the loosely mounted rollers, a threaded rod attached to the rear end of the lever and extendin forwardly therefrom, and a weight adjusta 1y mounted on said rod.

7 In a stop-motion device, the combination of a support, upper and lower feeding rollers mounted in the support, driving rollers mounted in the support below and operatively engaged with the feeding rollers, a vertically movable roller mounted in the support below the driving rollers, a second roller upon which the vertical movable roller normally rests, a trip lever fulcrumed upon the sup port in advance of said rollers, a tapered spreader projecting rearwardly from said lever and disposed within the bight of the last-mentioned rollers, an adjustable weight on the rear end of the lever, a thread guide on the front end of said lever, and means for limiting the forward movement of the lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN A. FENTON. [L. s.] 

